Music is a must for any workout -- even swimming. Here, we've selected the best of the best watertight headphones.
Going for a swim is one of the best ways to cool down and get your cardio in, and for avid swimmers out there, adding music to the proceedings is a must. But just because a pair of wireless earbuds or headphones is waterproof, it doesn't mean they're necessarily suited for swimming. They way it stands right now, Bluetooth signals do not travel well under water, especially if your device is situated poolside.
Speaking of water, the WS623s have it where it counts here, too. Their IPX5/8 waterproof rating certifies them for use in fresh or saltwater to a depth of up to 2 meters , and their IP6X rating makes them dustproof, too, in case you want to transition to a run on the beach. Battery life is impressive, with the WS623s getting up to 12 hours on a single charge, topping all others on our list.
The Pyle Flextremes are comfortable and have an adjustable band that can be configured to wrap around your neck or head. They jut out slightly more than other models on our list, but you can easily tuck them under a swimming cap or goggle straps for more rigorous pool sessions. All in all, for the price, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pair of swim-worthy earphones.
Underwater Audio Swimbuds Sports The best wired earbuds for swimming More Tayogo Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones The best bone-conduction headphones for swimming Pros Cons Bone-conduction headphones aren't new — some impressive models enter the market each year — but they're often overlooked. One of the basic benefits of bone conduction is that your ears can stay unobstructed so you can still experience what’s going on around you.
But where the extra $30 shows its worth is in the banded design, which keeps a low profile as it wraps around the contours of your ears, then hugs the back of your neck. The angle of the eartips in the ear canals create a comfortable and tight seal, while the added support of the neckband secures the headset for a fit unlike any other earbuds on our list.
We do wish battery life could be better — eight hours is fine for a good workout session or two but you’ll need to recharge frequently — but overall, if you already know you like bone conduction and want to upgrade to one of the best options, the OpenSwim is a good pick. H20 Audio Interval Swimming Earbuds The best for Apple Watch users More Zygo Solo Underwater Streaming Headset Underwater streaming and live coaching Pros Cons The Zygo Underwater Streaming Audio is the kind of “eureka” product that swimmers the world over have been waiting some time for. One of the biggest nuisances of trying to listen to audio when you’re in the water is how poorly Bluetooth performs in and around H20 .
What’s the difference between wired and wireless headphones for swimming? Typically, most swimming headphones exist as a standalone unit or are wired . Because they’re wired, they’ll deliver the best sound possible. When we think of wireless, however, that usually means Bluetooth, but in the context of swimming headphones, Bluetooth doesn’t have a big stake yet because headphones with reliable Bluetooth signals underwater are currently hard to come by.